The balancing on the clades/races is FAR better than in the first. SV is obviously looking to normalize most aspects of the game, trying to make more things viable.
Positioning is more important in this than speed from my PoV. If you're getting stickied by a slow char, that's because you're allowing it to happen. Terrain, breaking corners, turn parry cut and run, getting peels are now even more important, esp because of the physics with swinging.
From my experience playing a slower char, most people just dont know wtf to do when you're hitting them, but when they do I cannot gain any ground to finish a kill.
Positioning always mattered, being able to kite was repositioning yourself to put you in an advantage and fight on your terms. It's what made small groups and 1vX in places other than rooftops and mountains viable.
For example, currently - The speed gap is so close, that max size Thursars can catch up and then keep up with 115 - 120 dex veelas, due to their higher stam pool. It basically cancels out the other almost completely in current balance. If you're a Hybrid, not only can people keep up with you, they can also deal 40 - 60 damage with fast drawing bows, and force you to try heal.
I got chased by 15 guys yesterday. They closed a 100m gap over time due to having more stamina. Didn't matter that I jumped off cliffs, swam across Kran lake. They had the stam to catch up, and fast shooting bows dealing 40 - 60 damage, forcing me to stop and heal, then I would get fizzled due to being spammed with bows, while being on my ass almost constantly. Lucky I was a Hybrid, I could parry and prolong it and waste their time for around 10 minutes. A mage would just die within the first 2 - 3 minutes.
In larger group fights and zerg vs zerg it doesn't matter too much. But Lighter Infantry don't really have a place currently, with current balance it just makes them a gimped low HP warrior in most cases other than zerg fights, or if you're fighting in a place like Fab or GK.